On Strike
by StoryDiva
Summary: Maria is sick of being taken granted by her friends and Michael. She decides to go on strike and realizes a few things about herself along the way. Short story - complete.


**Title: **On Strike

**Author:** Tommygirl828 at gmail dot com

**Disclaimer: **Not my characters. Just a huge fan of Maria and Michael and can't seem to get their voices out of my head.

**A/N:** This started out as a response to word challenge 92 at 15minuteficlets, but the idea took on a life of its own and took more than 15 minutes to write. Feedback always appreciated.

-

It wasn't something she had planned out ahead of time. Going on strike, that is. It just seemed to fit the situation. Maria knew how her friends viewed her most of the time and that her ideas were usually struck down in favour of her smarter cohorts. Most of the time, it rolled right off her back, but that night it was driving her crazy. She was sick of Michael taking her for granted, sick of being the tag-along pal to her alien chums, and just sick of the way her life was going in general. That, in addition to her fury that knew no bounds (as Alex liked to call it), made for a deadly combination and Maria found herself withdrawing from the conversation and storming out of the Crashdown.

She knew everyone's eyes were on her back as she left. She could practically feel Liz's inquisitory glances sliding through her and fully-expected to be interrogated about it later. While she was the self-proclaimed dramatic one of the group, it wasn't like her to bolt, but it felt like all she could do. She might not have had powers or some sort of destiny or soulmate, but she could walk away.

Maria stopped down the street by her car, squinting into the fading daylight, and searched for her keys. She felt Michael's hand rest on her shoulder and the rage grew again – because she knew he wasn't there to apologize.

"What the hell was that?" Michael questioned.

Maria shrugged and replied, "It's nothing. I'm done."

"You're _done_? What does that mean?"

She wasn't exactly sure what she had meant, until the words slipped out, "I'm on strike."

"Huh?"

"Leave me out of your crap and I'll do the same."

"Maria..."

"All of you. I'm sick of being taken for granted. I'm so useless and expendable, right? Well, fine," Maria stated. She dropped her purse on the passenger seat and moved around to the other side. She opened the door and glared at Michael's perplexed gaze, "Oh we can't have Maria help us with this. Maria is crazy, Maria is—"

"Making no sense?" Michael offered.

Maria pointed her finger at him and said, "Whatever. I'm on strike."

"So you've said."

"I'm out of the pod squad loop."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious, Michael," Maria replied.

She didn't wait around for one of his obnoxious comments that would just anger her further. She slid into the driver's seat and sped off down the road. She wasn't sure where she was going. Her mother was having Jim Valenti over for an "early dinner" and walking in on that would scar her for life. That removed home as an option – not that a Friday night at home was all that appealing anyway. She couldn't go back to the Crashdown, or more accurately, she wouldn't. While her plans might've been to hang with her friends and then spend some time with Michael, she was on strike, whatever that meant, and she wasn't going anywhere near that place until she had to work her next shift.

It wasn't until she found herself on the outskirts of town that she pulled the car over and tried to make sense of everything. Logically, she knew she was overreacting and that no one really thought of her as expendable. But logic was overrated and she also knew that no one took her seriously either. Liz and Isabel...everyone clung to whatever they said. Her? She was the nutty sidekick along for the ride.

Maria noticed in the distance the small Diary Queen. She used to go there all the time with her mother when she was little, but since she started working in the food industry, she had stopped going. She pulled her car back out on the road and made her way to the parking lot. The place was open – dead, but open.

Maria stepped out and opened the door, calling out for help when she didn't see anyone. A part of her wondered if she had entered some _Twilight Zone_ world. Another part of her was too busy worrying about things like tetanus to give a damn.

"Hello?"

"Be right there."

Maria was surprised when a familiar face appeared from behind the counter. It wasn't someone she knew so much as someone she recognized. "Are you open?"

"Hard to tell, but yeah," he replied. He nodded down the road and added, "Since the Friendly's opened in town, we've lost most of our customers. Out of the way places are a thing of the past." He pointed at her and said, "You go to Roswell High, right?"

"Yeah," she said, amazed that anyone outside of her group of friends knew she existed.

"I'm Jake Reynolds. Graduated last year. We had music together – your voice was amazing, man."

Maria blushed. She wasn't used to getting compliments, especially from guys. Michael's idea of flattery was to tell her that she didn't make him want to kill himself. She tapped her fingers on the glass and said, "Thanks."

"It's true. Are you still singing?"

"Sometimes."

"Playing anywhere?"

"Not really."

"You should. There's a place I know in Albuquerque that has an open mike night every week."

"That's a bit of a drive."

"It would be worth it. You'd knock their socks off," Jake replied. He glanced up at the menu and asked, "So what did you want?"

"Peace and quiet?"

Jake looked around the empty place and laughed, "Your wish is my command."

"And a chocolate milkshake."

"Coming right up," he replied. He turned his back and went to work on her drink before calling out over his shoulder, "I don't remember seeing you in here before."

"I haven't come here in a long time, but I was in the neighbourhood," she said. It was only a half-lie and it wasn't like Jake needed to know any more than that.

"Okay."

"How long have you been working here?"

"Too long," he replied. He met her gaze and shrugged, "Trying to save for college."

Maria nodded, not sure that there was anything else left to say. She watched him make her milkshake, resisting the urge to give him pointers on the amount of chocolate syrup to add, and paid. She thought their conversation was over.

"Maria, would you want to hang out sometime?"

Maria eyed him over and replied, "Uh...I have a boyfriend. I don't like him much right now, but he's still my boyfriend."

"Just as friends. We could drive to that club tomorrow night if you want? You could see what the open mike night thing is all about and who knows? Maybe you'll be tempted to perform."

"I don't know. I have to work tomorrow morning and—"

"It's up to you. No pressure."

Maria was about to leave it at that. She barely knew this guy and going all the way to Albuquerque with a virtual stranger hardly seemed like a good idea. But what else was she going to do? She was on strike from her friends and Michael, and she didn't want to be alone on a Saturday night – that was too lame, even for her.

"Okay, why not? I work at the Crashdown. Can you meet me there?"

Jake smiled and replied, "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." He handed her the milkshake and added, "On the house."

Maria looked around, "Can the house really afford that?"

"No one needs to know," he replied.

Maria smiled and made her way out. She wondered if she had done the right thing, but that thought quickly faded. For once, she wasn't going to worry about the stupid pod squad's reaction to her new friend. She was entitled to her own life, especially when her friends made it so damn obvious that she was less than necessary to their existence.

Right?

So why was she feeling so guilty about this strike already?

-

Maria hummed along to the background music as she moved from table to table, freshening up the coffee and cleaning up the dishes. Liz had tried to get her to talk all morning, but Maria had managed to keep herself too busy for chatting. When Michael had walked in, he had glanced at her with that look that said "I can be as stubborn as you and you're going to give in first." Mostly because she usually did give in first.

Not this time though. The more she had thought about things on her way back home last night, the more certain she was that expanding her circle of friends and teaching the ones she had a lesson was a good idea. She never took any of her friends for granted – sure, she didn't always like what they did and they could all get on her nerves from time to time – and she hated that the feeling wasn't mutual.

It wasn't that she doubted they cared about her or their friendships, but sometimes a person had to take a stand. Sometimes it was the only way to make things better.

She glanced up at the clock and ripped off her apron the minute her shift ended. She heard Michael slam on the bell signalling a meal was done, but she didn't care. She was free; off duty and about to undertake a life of her own...sort of.

Maria tapped Liz on the shoulder, who was huddled over a book and lost in thought. Liz smiled and said, "I'd given up on us talking today."

"I'm off duty now and I need you to take over table 7," Maria replied. She didn't wait for a response. She made her way past the kitchen to the lockers and pulled out her change of clothes.

"Maria, would you talk to me?"

Maria glanced up and saw Liz hovering over her. She shrugged and said, "About what?"

"About anything."

"I don't really have time, Liz."

"Maria!" Liz bit down on her lip to stop from going on. Maria could see her friend thinking up a new way to get her to talk. Liz sat down on the bench next to Maria and said, "Michael told us you're on strike."

"That's right."

"I don't understand why though."

Maria sighed, slipping out of her uniform and putting on her jeans. She continued to change and finally replied, "That's part of the problem then, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Liz, we're getting backed up out here!" Liz's father called before Maria could go on.

Maria shrugged again and said, "I really have to get ready, Liz." Maria turned her back to Liz and started working on her hair and reapplying her make-up. She wasn't trying to be mean, but it appeared Liz was taking it that way and Maria had to fight the urge to run up to her friend and hug her. Maria wasn't going to let her wall crumble, even if it meant she seemed like a bitch.

She closed her locker, gathered up all her stuff and made her way through the restaurant looking for Jake. She spotted him in the corner booth sipping on a cup of coffee. She sat down across from him and said, "How long have you been sitting here?"

"Not long."

Maria smiled and said, "Good – I was just changing. I wasn't sure how an ugly blue uniform with antennas would play at this club."

"I think that was a wise choice, Maria," Jake replied. He dropped a few bucks on the table, stood up, and extended his hand to her, "Ready?"

Maria felt herself blushing again. This was unreal. It wasn't like she was interested in Jake like that. Not at all – she had a real soft spot for guys that walked all over her and were emotionally unavailable most of the time – but it was nice to be treated so nicely after years of Michael.

She took his hand and said, "I have to drop my bags in my car and then we can leave." Maria pretended not to notice her friends watching her as she left and tried really hard not to be elated by their confusion.

-

The club was an interesting mix of artsy and preppy types. Many young women with guitars warming up their voices lined the entryway and Maria suddenly felt..._at home_. It was an atmosphere that she had always dreamed of being a part of, but one she never found in Roswell. Jake led her to a table near the bar and said, "It looks like tonight's drawn quite a crowd."

Maria nodded, her eyes still too busy taking everything in to concentrate on a conversation. Not that she really needed to. They had talked the entire trip to Albuquerque and when they had stopped for dinner. Conversations about mundane, human things like movies, gossip about classmates, and shared boredom at living in the middle of nowhere. There was no mention of apocalypses, government conspiracies, or evil alien forces.

She hadn't realized she missed that so much until that night. The past few years had been fraught with so much going on that she didn't have time to think about all those simple things she didn't really do anymore. Now it was all she could think about. Her friends weren't the only ones taking things for granted – she was so fixated on the alien crap that she had forgotten about those simple things.

Jake introduced her to a few different people throughout the evening, regulars who came to practice their music before an audience and employees who loved nothing more than mocking some of the more pretentious performers. It was a great night and she was so glad that she had come.

Maria leaned across the table and said, "Thanks for bringing me."

"You're having fun?"

"_A lot_ of fun."

"Good. You look pretty when you smile."

"I have a confession to make," Maria began. She met Jake's neutral gaze and said, "I was fighting with my friends and boyfriend. That's why I agreed to come."

"Ah, yes, the old make the boyfriend jealous ploy."

"That would infer that Michael has feelings," she commented with a roll of her eyes. She took a sip of her soda and added, "And it wasn't about making him jealous. Just trying to...I dunno...stop making my life all about them."

"Well, whatever the motivation, I'm glad you came."

"Me too."

"But you're off the market," Jake concluded.

Maria nodded and said, "I have a thing for guys that are aloof and annoying. You just don't qualify."

Jake laughed and said, "That doesn't mean we can't come back here another night. Maybe we can get you up on that stage one week?"

"Sure," she replied and she meant it. She didn't plan on staying angry with her friends forever, nor shutting them out much longer (she would cave the minute Monday morning rolled around and she had to face the school cafeteria), but having an outlet of her own, a non-alien zone, was a good idea.

-

Maria waved to Jake as he drove off and she made her way back to her car. She nearly shrieked in terror when she noticed Michael asleep in the passenger's seat. She clutched her chest before opening the door and hitting him on the shoulder.

Michael rubbed his eyes and stared up at her, his face unusually neutral, and said, "Hey."

"Hey?"

"That's what I said."

"You're asleep in my car, scare me half to death and all you can offer is _hey_?" Maria countered, slamming the door shut once she was seated. She glared at him and said, "What are you doing, Michael?"

Michael gave her one of his infamous "isn't it obvious" raise of the eyebrows and said, "Waiting for you. Who was the guy?"

"A friend."

"I don't recall you ever mentioning him before."

"He was in one of my classes last year. I saw him yesterday and he asked me to hang out."

"Right."

"It wasn't a date or anything," Maria replied. She met his gaze and said, "Jake's just a friend, Michael. Someone who doesn't judge me on my inability to keep the aliens at bay."

"For god's sake, Maria, no one judges you," Michael snapped.

"Whatever. It's late and I'm tired. Now is not the time to have this conversation."

"Well, we're gonna."

"Because you say so? Mr. Emotionally Void suddenly wants to have a heart-to-heart talk and I should jump at the chance?"

Michael rolled his eyes and replied, "Because I don't like the idea of you thinking that you're expendable, especially not to me."

Maria was stunned by his honesty. Not that Michael wasn't honest, more like naturally confusing when it came to things like love. She wasn't sure how to respond so she reached over and kissed him.

He pulled back and said, "I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry for that," she replied. She kissed him again and this time he returned it, increasing the pressure and practically yanking her across the console and into his arms in the passenger seat. She ran her fingers through his hair and said, "I guess this ends my strike."

He rolled his eyes again and said, "We don't mean to take you for granted, Maria, but sometimes, you come up with some pretty crappy plans."

Normally she would've hit him or stalked off, but she was in a good mood and found herself laughing it away. He studied her as if she had two heads and she said, "Fair enough."

"But I'm sorry if, you know, you think you don't matter."

"Apology accepted," she said. She kissed him again and said, "I still plan to hang out with Jake."

"And I plan to tag along."

She grinned against his cheek and said, "You'd have a horrible time at this club, but fine."

"Club?"

"Yeah, Jake and I drove to Albuquerque to go to open-mike night. It was great."

"You went to a club in a faraway town with a complete stranger?"

"No, I went to a club in Albuquerque with my friend, Jake, to see what the competition is like in the world of music, Dad."

"What if he was a mass-murdering lunatic?"

"I guess that would've put a real damper on the evening."

"Maria..."

Maria let out a slow, calculated breath, counting to ten silently, and mumbled, "And things were going so nicely for three whole minutes."

"I don't like the idea of something happening to you."

Maria nodded, smiling despite her best efforts, and said, "I can live with that. Feeling's mutual."

"Next time you're pissed off with me, could you just be pissed off with me and not possibly put yourself in danger?"

"I wasn't in danger..."

"Maria!"

"Fine. No more gallivanting off with semi-strangers," she replied with a dramatic sigh. She crossed her fingers over her chest for emphasis. She grinned mischievously and added, "But it _was_ a lot of fun."

"So you've said."

"And it reminded me that I had this whole other life before you Czechoslovakians came along."

"Sorry to have ruined your life."

"Not like that, Michael. It's just...having an evening filled with movie and music talk was a nice reprieve from some of the pod squad adventures of the past. And, as much as I love you and being with you, I think I need that."

Michael stared at her for what felt like hours before responding, "I guess I can handle that."

"Good because I'm trying to work up the courage to actually perform at one of these open mike night things. Jake and I kept daring each other all night long, but…I'd want you and the others there if I did it. I mean, where's the fun if I can't share my potential stardom with the people I love?"

"So no more strike?"

"No more strike."

Michael kissed her and said, "Good." He looked at her for a minute and added, "Oh, and you might want to call Liz when you get home. She was having a best friend meltdown at work. Not a pretty sight."

"Unlike you who fell asleep in my car."

"I was sleeping in a stress-free zone, Maria."

"Sure pal."

"Let's get out of here. I'm exhausted and maybe if we hurry I can catch the hockey highlights on ESPN."

Maria nodded and moved herself back over to the driver's seat. It was probably one of the shortest strikes in the history of mankind, but she was pretty sure that hers had served a purpose. Even if the only point she had made was to herself, she had gotten the message loud and clear. Maybe there was nothing wrong with being the wacky sidekick. At least that was what she was beginning to figure out.

_Fin_


End file.
